Belts

[adamdegraff]

About to hit the road for our big tour and am making final preparations. I'm to the "belts" item on my mile long list. So, they all look good... or so I am told. But an RVing friend told me that with 40,000 miles ahead of us, we ought to put a whole new set of belts on, and save the current set as replacements cuz we know they fit. Seems logical. Opinions on this?

Obviously changing the triple belt (the one that loosens when the air goes down) is easy, but what about the others. Is this something that your average Joe can do? I see lots of bolts to loosen the tension to take off old belts. Any suggestions here? Again, probably not a bad thing to know before we hit the road and are on a tight schedule.

Finally, do I remember reading something about that triple belt system being replaced with one wide belt? IF so, is that something I should get?

Any belt advice is most welcome.

Thanks,

Adam

[phorner]

For what it's worth, I changed out our belts and kept the old as emergency spares before we left on our summer trip.

Just felt like the right thing to do although the old belts looked OK.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Adam, I do not think which set of belts to start with is as important as knowing which ones go where and how to change them.

Just wondering, do you go into a concert with a new set of strings on the fiddle, or do you play the old ones until they break and just change that one at that time;):confused:

Remain in control, leave nothing to chance.
When your having too much fun, week after week, with no troubles, don't forget to look the bus over and keep everything that way, or you will be changing belts on the highway in the dark.:eek:

Have a fun safe trip, and don't forget a few sets of strings in the spare parts box:D
JIM

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I agree with Jim. The only advantage to putting on a new set to replace a set that looks in good shape is that you are confirming the new ones fit and by keeping the old ones you have another set already proven to fit.

Others have posted that they air up with aux air before starting because they have thrown belts. I have never had that problem, but since this is a new coach to you it would not hurt to be especially vigilant about stuff like that until you know the specific pecularities if your coach.

[Ray Davis]

But do certainly make sure that you've got a spare set of belts, which are the correct sizes! :)

[rfoster]

You need to have on the bus a spare set of belts (all of them). I was on the east bound side of I-85 Tuesday night at about 9pm and 95 degrees on the way to Atlanta and stopped at the rest area. (Sorry Deb/Bob always running late) Pulled in beside a W.W. Williams service truck working on a Roadway Tractor/Trailer. Doing my Walk around to strech my legs I spotted some fuzz (belt debris) peering out of the vents at the top of rear engine doors. Sure enough further inspection produced a frayed but still functioning alternator belt. By the time I retrieved the tools and spare belt the temp in the engine compartment had cooled to a low of 160 degrees and I changed the belt. The Williams repair guy finished his job on the Roadway Tractor and eased over to see what I was doing and said Damn that sure is a shiny engine. I don't have a belt like that tho, - I said no worry I know A1 and he told me to carry spare belts. He was impressed (it really was the easiest belt change I have ever experienced) Cleaning the residue of the old belt out of the bottom pulleys was more difficult and time consuming than the replacement process.

Truk: This guy from Williams had never seen a belt gauge like you loaned me. He loaded his tools and went home.

Carry spare belts and be prepared to deal with the minor interuptions rather than deal with major delays.

[Ray Davis]

Speaking of that belt guage, is it possible to purchase one of those puppies?

[aggies09]

Are you ordering belts from Prevost or are you going to a Gates distributor or similar vendor to get new belts?

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I've always been able to get belts at NAPA.

[rfoster]

Ray: Congrats on the new bus deal- hope all goes as planned or better.

We will have to get Truk4u to tell us were to purchase the belt gauge as I don't know. He flips buses and his new one has the tensioner so no gauge required. He loaned me is clicker guage

Truck tell Ray were to go for the gauge. I am still borrowing yours.

I purchase belts thru local parts store, sometimes it takes a day or two -

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Look for it locally, or buy it here.

http://www.midwayautosupply.com/pc-48966-261-gates-krikit-ii-v-belt-tension-gauge-91132.aspx

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

Nice Bus, Ray. We need more pictures please, and congratulations to you.

I know you are again flying HIGH..!!!

Gary S.

[hhoppe]

Ive got to put a plug in here for Gates belts and hoses. They are made in the USA by USAans. And besides that they give better service life. "Those that know use Gates"

[truk4u]

Ray won't need one, his will have the auto tension.. I made a deal with Prevost over the phone in IL for the gauge, the cost was around 125.00 because you had to buy some kind of kit, but the guy sent it to me without the kit and I think I paid 50 bucks.